Chain-equipped structure



v.July 23, 1929. o. w. ANDERSEN CHAIN EQUIPPEIJ s'nuc'run" Filed 0G13. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 23,1929. o, w, ANDERSEN 1,721,939 CHAIN EQUIPPED STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lill;

0672507 OscfWmre M mum WA mln-lul lllllllllllllllllillll'l Filed Oct. 27. 1927 Patented July 23, i929.

UNrrsn sientas OSCAR VJ. ANDERSEDL`F OAK BARR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0V PETTIBONE COIMFANY, A COEPORATON 0F NEW YORK.

MULLIKEN CHAIN-EQUIPPED STRUCTURE.

Application filed October 27, 1927.` Serial No. 229,139.

' pivoting pins of which and guide devices for the chains rocksv sometimes become wedged in the operation of the structures and impair the operation of the machines.

My primaryobjectis to'provide means whereby the wedging of rocks between the chains and the guides referred to Vwill not impair the pins forming the pivotal connections between adjacent links of the chains.

n Referring to the accompanying drawin s: f

Figure 1 is a view lin side elevation of the suction-pipe-equipped arm of a suction dredge embodying inyimprovements.v Figure 2 is a plan View ofa portion of the chain screen Yforming an element of theV dredge. Figure?) isi a viewin side elevation of the structure shown in F ig. 2. Figure 4 vis an enlarged section taken at the line .4f-l on' Fig. 1 andy viewed in the direction of the ar-` rows. Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken at the line 5 5 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 6 is a broken sectional View taken at the line on Fig. 55and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Figure 7, a broken plan sectional View taken at the line 7 on Fig. 6 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

The particular construction of suction dredge inl connection with which l .have chosen to illustrate my invention, comprises an arni8 preferably made up of truss mem bers, struts and braces to aiford the desired rigidity of structure, the upper end of the arm 8 being pivoted at 9 to any suitable support 10 so that its lower end may be raised and lowered as desired. The means for raising and lowering the lower end of the arm `are not.. shown as they are in common use and form no part of the present invention. j llhe arm8 carries the usual suction pipe 11 and suitable means (not shown) are pro- Yvided at the upper end of this pipe for sucking water and material'to be dredged, upwardly through this pipe in the usual manrner. The lower end of the pipe 11 terminates in a nozzle 12 presenting a downwardly opening flared mouth. l

The machine also comprises a traveling screen chain 13 of the link and pivoting pin type, the upper end, or bight, of the chain being carried on a driving sprocket'lllpwliich maybe driven'in .anyy suitable way, as for example by means of the gears 15,165,17 and 18 forming a train which maybe actuated by any suitable source of power, as for example a motor orenginel The lower end of the chain .which extends across the mouth of the nozzle 12 is supported at its opposite edges on a pair of disk wheels 19. locatedfat opposite sides of the nozzle 12 and mounted on a shaft 20 secured in triangular plate members 21 provided in spaced apart relation on the lower end of the arm 8, the wheels 19 vhaving `i'ianges to retain the chain against lateral displacement there-on. The chain screen thussupported serves as afscreen or sieve for the mouth ofthe nozzle 12 for preventing entrance theieinto of undesired objects as for example rocks.

rEhe arm 8 is'provided with upper longitudinally extending angleirons 22 thelower iianges of which form a support. for the upper reach ofthe chain, and the upwardly extending flanges 24 ofwliicli serve as guides preventing lateral displacement of the chain; andis also provided withV channel guides 122 in which the lower reach of the chain screen vis supported and guided.

Referring now to the particular construeA- tion of the screen chain illustrated, it is formed of avseries of links each shown as comprising link bars`25, 26,27, 28 landf29, (five of these link bars being shown but without any intentionof limiting the invention thereto), and pivotal connecting pins 30 connecting together adjacent, overlapped ends of the link bars. The link bars referred to are formed with deflected ends, 'as shown, at which portions adjacent ends'of the link bars overlap and receive the pins30, with rollers 31 located between the sets of bars 25 and'26 and 28 and 29 andjournalled on the pivoting pins 30. Therollers 31y are shown asjournalled on4 the opposed reduced end portions 25a, 26, 28, and 29a of the link bars25, 26, 28 and 29, and spacer sleeves 32 surround kthe pivot pins 30 between the link bars 26 and 27 and 27 and 28. The pivoting pins 30 are held in assembled relation with the link bars and spacers described, by washers 33 preferably made of steel and of general U-shape which are applied to straddling position about the peripherally grooved portions 34 of the pins and then bent `at their leg portions 37n intothe poi .lo

sition shown in Fig. 6 to hold them against disengagement from the pins, Ythese Vwashers coacting with the headed ends of the pins and with the adjacent link bars 29A affording r great resistance against shearing in the event of force being applied' against the end of the pins in a direction lengthwise of the latter.-

The screen chain also comprises projecting hooks, claws or fingers 26" and 28n which serve to dig into the material to be excavated,

y to loosen up,pagitate, and stir up `the material,

forfpermitting thesuction in the pipe 1l to moie readily carry the material away. These claws, hooks or fingers 26a and 2Sa are shown asformed integrally with certain of the link bars 26 Vand 28, respectively, and 'also kserve to engage and, remove away from the mouth of the nozzle 12 objects which are too large to enter the latter, these objects being thrown t one side by these hooks or carried upwardly on the chain and dumped on the upper end as the chain passes over the upper sprocket.

The provision of the guide devices 22 and 122 presents the possibility of rocks becoming wedged in between the sides of' the screen chain and the walls of these guide-devices andV fcrce exerted laterally against them but this force will be taken by another member in` such a wayas not to unduly stress the pins.

In accordance with the preferred illustratedembodiment of my invention the wedging force referred to is caused to be taken by the link bars 29 which, to this end, aie provided on'their outer faces with'bosses 35 in alignment with the pins 30 an'd forming house ings therefor with openings 36 to receive the pins 30 in the assembling operation, the outer faces of these housings preferably extending slightly beyond the extreme outer end portions of the pins 30 and completely peripherally surrounding the latter, as shown. y i

The openings 36 through the housings are preferably enlarged at their inner ends as lrepresented at 37 and open upwardly and downwardly as represented in Fig. 6 to permitof the ready applicationof the washer 36 to placeand the deformiiig ofthe latter into lholding position.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the pins 30 are protected against direct engagement therewith of rocks that may become wedged vbetween the chain and the guide devices.` The portions of the chain screen against which vthe'wedging action would be exerted may be made sufficiently heavy to resist the force of 'suchwedging action without danger of impairing any of the parts, and even to such an extent as to stop the means for driving the chain screen7 it being desirable to provide a yieldable safety connection (not shown) between the source of power and the chain screen which will yield before sufficient resistance is presented by the wedging of the chain screen as stated, as to stall the power device, particularly if an electric motor. j Y While the housings are shown as coinpletely surrounding the ends of the pins 3() peripherally it is not necessary, in carrying out my invention, that the housings entirely surround the pins, itl being sufficient if the housings extend adjacent those surfaces only of the'pins against which the wedging'action could be exerted by stones-engaging the chain screen. y

While I have 'illustrated and' described a particular construction embodying my'inven-k tion, I do` not wish to be understood as intending to limit itthereto as the same may be variously modified and altered withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

l/Vhat I claim as new, and desire tofsecure by Letters Patent, is: f' l. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination'of a chain mounted to 4be moved and formed of links an'dvpins pivotally on ends' of certain of said links and 'completely surrounding saidpins peripherally for protecting the ends of the latter Aand means inwardly ofthe ends of the pins for maintain'- ing the pins and links in operative relation. 2, In a machine ofthe character set forth, the combination of a chain mounted to be movedand formed of linksfand ins pivotally connecting saidv linksv toget er, guide means for a reach of said chain andcomprising members along-which said chain travels, and means for preventing stones which Vmay become wedged in any direction between said chain and one of said members from exerting force `against said pins laterally'thereof by direct contact with the latterr comprising housings at the ends of said pins peripherally si'irrounding said ends, said housings' inwardly of said ends havingopenings, and means for maintaining the pins and associated parts in place applicable through said openings. l 3. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a chain mounted to be moved and formed of links and pins pivotally connectingsaid links together, guide means for a reach of said chain and comprising members along which said chain travels, and means for preventing stones which may become wedged in any direction between said chain and one of said members from exerting force against said pins laterally thereofy by lconnecting said links together, and housings direct Contact with the latter, comprising housings on certain of said links at the ends of said pins peripherally surrounding said ends, said links inwardly of' said ends having openings and means for maintaining the pins and associated parts in place applicable through said openings, l

4. In a machine of the Character set forth, the combination of a chain mounted to be moved and formed of links and pins pivotally connecting said links together, guide means for a reach of said chain and comprising members along which said chain travels,

and means for preventing stones which may become wedged between said chain and one of said members from exerting force against said pins laterally thereof by direct Contact with the latter comprising apertured housings on ends of eertainof said links and completely peripherally surroundin thevends of 20 said pins and means inwardly o said ends of the pins for maintaining the latter and associated parts in place. Y

OSCAR W. ANDERSEN. 

